Hebrews 9:5
“And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.”
Context:The book of Hebrews was written to a Jewish‑Christian audience, emphasizing the superiority of Christ and the New Covenant over the Old Covenant and the rituals of the Jewish religion. In Hebrews 9, the author explores the details of the earthly tabernacle and contrasts it with the heavenly sanctuary.
The Ark of the Covenant:Hebrews 9:5 refers to the mercy seat and the cherubims of glory. The mercy seat was the golden cover on top of the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments and represented God’s presence among the Israelites. The cherubim were angelic figures that overshadowed the mercy seat. This is a reference to the innermost part of the tabernacle where God’s glory resided.
Symbolism:The earthly tabernacle and its furnishings, including the Ark of the Covenant, served as symbolic representations of heavenly realities. The cherubim and the mercy seat symbolized the presence of God and His authority. The fact that the author says, of which we cannot now speak particularly, suggests that he intended to delve deeper into these symbolic representations but chose not to at that moment, possibly due to time constraints or a desire to focus on other aspects.
Christ as the True Mercy Seat:The author of Hebrews goes on to explain how Christ, as the ultimate High Priest, entered into the heavenly sanctuary with His own blood, once for all, to obtain eternal redemption for humanity (Hebrews 9:11‑12). The earthly tabernacle and its rituals were mere shadows of the true heavenly reality, which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
Application:The passage reminds believers that the Old Covenant and its rituals were temporary and insufficient to provide salvation. Through Christ’s sacrifice, we have access to the true mercy seat and can approach God with confidence (Hebrews 4:16). It encourages us to place our faith in Christ and the New Covenant, which offers forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
